It may seem that I am always writing these brief columns on public safety issues, but I assure you I am also working on legislation to curb excessive credit card interest rates, address chronic flood mitigation and ensure our employers can keep their doors open in this tough economy. However, I continue to believe that if citizens do not feel safe in their homes, schools and communities, everything else we do seems less meaningful.

That’s why I continue to work to make our criminal justice system responsive and responsible for protecting citizens in the way they expect. One area of public safety in need of updating is penalties for repeat domestic violence offenders.

Domestic violence is one of the most heinous crimes because it has a psychological element that can paralyze victims. Oftentimes domestic abusers live in, or have keys to, their victims’ homes. The abuser may also have close relationships with family, friends and co-workers of their victim, which can leave the victim fearful and with nowhere to turn. Repeat batterers can escalate with each reporting of abuse to law enforcement and become even more dangerous.

That is why I am sponsoring legislation along with Attorney General Rob McKenna to make the penalties for repeat domestic abusers tougher. The bill, if passed in the 2010 legislative session, would:

Represent the most significant updates to our domestic violence protections since the Domestic Violence Prevention Act first became law some 25 years ago; Give chronic domestic abusers the sentences they truly deserve by ramping up the consequences of being a repeat abuser; Require judges to factor in the lower-level prior domestic violence histories of the worst batterers; and Count prior domestic violence offenses more heavily when it comes to sentencing.

When serial abusers stand before a judge to be sentenced for felony domestic violence offenses and have a prior misdemeanor or history of domestic violence, the law shouldn’t treat them as if it is their first time in court. We don’t do that for car thieves or drunk drivers who hurt or kill someone. Prior DUIs and other criminal convictions count against them at sentencing. We should treat felony domestic violence just as seriously.

Longer sentences that reflect the terrible nature of serial domestic abuse would send a strong message to those who would repeatedly terrorize, stalk and physically harm their partners or spouses. These longer sentences would serve another critically important role: give the victims of abuse peace of mind and allow them time to rebuild their lives, relocate if needed or seek the necessary help for them and their children to recover.

Let’s not wait for another tragedy to update our state’s laws and sentences that deal with repeat domestic abusers. I hope you will join me in supporting this legislation to create greater protections for families around Washington.

Rep. Kirk Pearson is the Republican leader on the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee. He represents Western Washington’s 39th Legislative District. He can be reached at pearson.kirk@leg.wa.gov.